Technical Field
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a toner conveyance device and an image forming apparatus, such as, a copier, a printer, a facsimile machine, a plotter, or a multifunction peripheral (i.e., multifunction machine or MFP) having at least two of copying, printing, facsimile transmission, plotting, and scanning capabilities, that includes the toner conveyance device.
Description of the Related Art
Typically, image forming apparatuses, such as printers, copiers, facsimile machines, and MFPs having those capabilities, includes a toner conveyance device to transport toner from a transport source to a transport destination. The transport source and the transport destination are connected by a toner conveyance pipe (i.e., toner conveyance tube) formed of an elastic material.
For details, the transport source such as a cleaning device and the transport destination such as a developing device are connected by a flexible toner conveyance pipe such as a collection tube. A toner conveyance channel or pipe is disposed between the transport source and the transport destination. A toner conveyance coil such as a spring coil is disposed inside of the conveyance pipe. When the toner conveyance coil is rotatory driven in a predetermined direction by a driving source, the toner moves inside the toner conveyance pipe and the toner is transported from the transport source toward the transport destination.
In a typical image forming apparatus, it is possible to compose a curved toner conveyance pipe and to increase a degree of freedom of a shape of the toner conveyance channel because the toner conveyance channel uses the flexible toner conveyance pipe. Since the toner conveyance coil is disposed inside the conveyance pipe, the toner conveyance channel can ensure an ability of the toner conveyance, preventing from accumulating the toner, without an air pump even though a shape of the toner conveyance channel is comparatively complicated.